Neil Druckmann, co-creator of the original game, and Craig Mazin, showrunner of The Last of Us series, spoke with Entertainment Weekly. They confirmed Joel isn’t completely gone from the series. Fans will see him in flashbacks.
“Even though the character is gone, he won’t be forgotten,” Druckmann said. “He’ll be remembered in interesting ways.”
The game handled Joel’s death similarly. It used flashbacks to explore Ellie and Joel’s relationship after Part I and before Part II.
The second episode of The Last of Us Season 2 just aired on HBO MAX. Episode 3 is scheduled for April 28.